Spotlight On: Laura Jeannine Sarrazin
Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into our talented cast and crew of Cabaret. Get to know Laura Jeannine Sarrazin who is portraying Fraulein Kost!
Introduce Yourself to Our Audience:
Hi lovelies!! I’m Laura Jeannine, and I’ll be playing the role Fraulein Kost in CTC’s Cabaret. This is my first production with CTC and I have been honored to be a part of such a wonderful cast and crew!
Why did you want to be involved in this production?
How do you prepare for a new role or character, and what techniques do you use?
I am super into complex character work. When I’m notating my script, I use a 4 color coded system. I start with using green for entrances and exits, and pink for director’s notes. Then, after a scene is first blocked, I go home and study my script from the perspective of my character. In blue, I’ll write down internal thoughts of the character. Then, I use purple to write down any physical choices I believe my character would make at that moment. Having absolutely everything there on the page is so helpful.
What do you love about your character?
I love how instinctual Frl. Kost is. She, at her core, is a survivor. She makes truly evil choices, but she doesn’t see herself as a villain, only her path to survival. She is ready to come out with guns blazing to protect herself from the tumultuous environment of Weimar Germany, even if that means selling her body and destroying her morals.
What challenges did you face bringing the script to life?
It’s extremely difficult to try to embody someone who, at best, is perfectly fine with the hate that was spread by the Nazi party, and at worst, supports it. As an actor, I try to fully insert myself into the life of my character. Even fictionally, watching the horrors onstage unfold that I put in motion, is sickening. As much as I know that it’s a script and I’m playing a role, It’s hard not to still feel intense levels of guilt.
Who do you look up to (as an actor/director/etc.)?
My idol in the acting world is Vivian Leigh. I remember watching a Streetcar Named Desire in one of my high school english classes, and I hung onto every word she said, every beat. It was a master class in analysis. Every twitch, every blink, every breath was Blanche DuBois. Every little moment had a purpose. She didn’t waste a second of her time on screen. I admire that commitment to character more than anything.
What’s the last thing you do before you step out on stage / the curtain goes up?
I always do my very best to see every single cast member to personally wish them a good show. I know how important it is to know that you have people at your back, and it’s top priority for me that everyone feels supported and like they have someone rooting for them.
What is your favorite film or theater production and why?
My favorite movie is Cinderella. I was always a princess girl, and to me, Cinderella was the princess of all princesses. Irene Woods’ beautiful voice led to me spending hours singing nonsense out of my window hoping that a bird would land on my finger and sing with me (which obviously never happened, but I was still hopeful!). She was my role model. The movie continues to inspire me to always try to be unfailingly kind, no matter the circumstances.
Cabaret opens July 19th and runs through August 4th at Connecticut Theatre Company. Tickets on sale now!
“A stunning musical… this marionette’s-eye view of a time and place in our lives that was brassy, wanton, carefree and doomed to crumble is brilliantly conceived.”– Walter Kerr, The New York Times
“Stunning… a masterpiece of musical theater penned as a cautionary tale and not at all leavened by the embrace of paradox.” – Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune
